1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatuses and devices for disassociating organic material, such as peat moss, from a compressed bale thereof, but more particularly to such apparatuses and devices incorporating agitators or beater bars to disassociate the peat moss or other organic material from the compressed bale.
2. Description of the Related Art
The art to which the invention relates includes apparatuses for breaking and crumbling organic material from a compressed bale form of such material. Such devices have been known to be useful for breaking up bales of peat moss used in the planting and nursery industry.
One common disadvantage associated with inventions comprising the art to which the invention relates is the shredding action associated with such devices. That is, the devices comprising the art to which the invention relates typically shred the peat moss fragments and thus reduce the strand size of the peat moss. Thus, the devices comprising the art to which the invention relates not only disassociate the peat moss from a compressed bale, but also have the tendency to shred and reduce the size of the individual pete strands or particles.
The moisture retaining capabilities of the peat moss is believed to be reduced when the particle or strand size of the peat is reduced. Thus, the shredding or tearing of the individual peat strands is believed to reduce the effectiveness of the peat.
Another common drawback associated with devices and apparatuses comprising the art to which the invention relates is the dissatisfaction amongst the nursery and planting industry personnel with the resultant product, and the inability of available devices to break up large four foot by eight foot bales of peat moss. Shredded peat moss is undesirable to growers and planters in the growing and planting industry, because it losses its fluffiness. That is, nursery and planting industry personnel desire peat moss in a substantially non-shredded form such that long strands of peat moss are preferred rather than the fragmented shredded and reduced size of the peat moss fragments. Accordingly, it is believed that peat moss in its original cut form prior to baling is the desired form used in the nursery and planting industry, and hence a shredded smaller particle or strand size is less desirable for use.
Prior to the production of the present invention, a device incorporating agitators which forcibly remove the peat particles and particles of other organic material from a compressed bale without a significant reduction in original particle or strand size and incorporating the mechanical features described herein, has not been invented.